-Caveat Lector- Monday, 22 July, 2002, 16:02 GMT 17:02 UK Row over fingerprinting in schools
Prints are said to make libraries more efficient Tens of thousands of children are being fingerprinted in school - often without the consent of their parents, a human rights group has complained. Prints are taken for a library lending system which the makers say makes lending more efficient and less vulnerable to abuse. But the pressure group Privacy International says the practice is illegal and breaches the human right to privacy. Dangerous One of the makers of the technology, Micro Librarian Systems (MLS), say they have sold about 1,000 systems to schools in the UK and abroad. Simon Davies, of the campaign group Privacy International says the practice is "dangerous, illegal and unnecessary". He says the use of the technology should be banned in schools. "It de-humanises our children and degrades their human rights," he said. "Such a process has the effect of softening children up for such initiatives as ID cards and DNA testing. "It's clearly a case of 'get them while they're young'. "They are seen as a soft target for this technology". Encrypted The group says it has been contacted by parents who are angry that they have not been asked for to give their consent for the fingerprinting. Manufacturers MLS say it would be very difficult for a third party to access the prints and make use of them. The company's technology director Stephen Phillips said: "The system does not store the actual fingerprint, but a map of it which takes in the print's key features. "The image is then compressed and encrypted, so it would take a lot of effort to use it. "People who have nothing to hide - why would they worry?" Mr Phillips said the company advised schools to consult or inform parents before they used the technology. He said only two parents had complained about the use of the technology to the company. Privacy International says it expects there to be legal challenges to the use of the technology in schools. But the government's information commissioner does not believe the system is breaking any laws or conventions. Assistant to the commissioner, Phil Boyd said: "It is not in breach of the data protection act and it does not contravene the human rights act." He said officials had been to check the system and thought it was impressive in terms of the security of the data. "If it was being used to track pupils it would be different, but this use of the technology is fine," he said. Officials at the Department for Education said the matter was one for head teachers and governing bodies, who had to ensure they stayed within the law. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
